1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method and apparatus for removing hair from living skin while minimizing irritation to the skin.
2. The Related Art
Location, location, location. Just like in real estate, the beauty of hair is where it rises. A forest of hair on the scalp is a blessing. On the upper lip it may be less desirous, most especially less desirous for females. Location on the legs is deemed also not attractive.
Removal of unwanted hair is commonly achieved by shaving for short term results. Mechanical epilation with wax or other devices provides a longer respite. Several disadvantages accompany these methods. Frequently they cause irritation, folliculitis and on rare occasions scarring. There are presently two FDA-approved treatments for hair removal. Electrolysis involves resistive heating around an electrode placed deeply into a hair follicle, causing complete or partial destruction. The treatment is painful, tedious and only moderately effective. About 50 to 85% of treated hairs regrow. There are also significant risk effects here of folliculitis and infection.
Another FDA-cleared treatment (Thermolase technique) involves exposure to a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser designed for tattoo removal, following wax epilation and topical application of a suspension of amorphous carbon particles. This treatment is mildly painful. Despite aggressive marketing, its effectiveness appears to be minimal or nonexistent. The potential complications of this treatment are those of laser surgery in general (infection, scarring, pigmentary changes), plus the risk of inadvertent tattooing by introducing carbon into the dermis through ruptured follicles. However, these complications presumably occur at an acceptably low incidence.
A safer and more effective system has been described by Dr. Rox Anderson of the Harvard Medical School and commercialized by Palomar Corporation. The system uses a ruby laser with light delivered through a transparent actively-cool sapphire hand piece held directly in contact with the skin. The hand piece conducts heat away from the epidermis before, during and after each pulse.
Transient inflammatory reaction (erythema, edema) and pigmentary changes (hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation) are routine and expected whenever a laser is used to injure some component of the skin. Compared with pulsed dye, Q-switched and other lasers used for cosmetic procedures, the Palomar laser produces similar skin injury followed by rapid healing requiring minimal wound care. Compared with electrolysis, in which bacteria are repeatedly introduced into follicles from the skin surface by a needle-like electrode, the Palomar system may cause less folliculitis. Nonetheless, it is very evident there is a need for much safer procedures to avoid skin damage and to also minimize the number of treatments required for effective removal.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for epilation which minimizes transient inflammatory reactions and pigmentary changes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an epilation method based on laser energy which minimizes the number of treatments necessary to effect full epilation.
These and other objects of the present invention become more apparent from the following summary and detailed description.
A method is provided for removing hair from body skin which includes:
(i) measuring with a colorimeter color of an area of the skin where hair is to be removed to obtain a color value;
(ii) employing the color value to determine an optimum range of laser energy necessary to kill hair follicles in the area yet minimizing inflammatory reactions; and
(iii) directing laser energy of the optimum range at the skin area.
A kit is also provided for removing hair from body skin which includes a laser and instructions for operating the laser to remove the hair from the body skin.